Page 42 of Overeager
He could have meant anyone, but Chase obviously wasn’t fooled. He was silent for a moment, then asked lightly, “You found your omega?”
Noah debated lying. He really did. But it wasn’t like Chase didn’t already know at least half of it. “I did,” he admitted. “It’s, um, going well.”
“So we’ll be seeing a lot less of you for a while.” There was no censure in the statement. And no further questions, for which Noah was incredibly grateful.
Although, Spencer sounded in the background again, unwilling to let anything go. “What does that mean? Why? Why can’t he bring the omega overhere?”
Noah ignored it all, letting Chase know, “I’m at least staying the night again tonight. If he’ll let me.”
“Cool. I’ll manage the head case.”
“I’ll show youhead case,” Spencer growled, and then there was the distinct sound of tussling.
Noah hung up.
He headed back inside the house, smiling as he reached the couch. Eli looked incredibly soft, his face the picture of drowsy contentment, his pheromones a perfect match. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Noah settled next to him, pulling Eli’s head back to his shoulder. “I’ll have to head back tomorrow. My laptop and everything is at our apartment. I’ve got homework to keep up with, you know.”
“Don’t remind me.” Eli wrapped an arm around Noah’s middle. “But you’ll stay tonight?”
Something bubbly and sweet and perfect fizzled in Noah’s chest. “Definitely.”
“We can get takeout?” Eli asked. “And watch a movie?” He sounded almost uncertain, like Noah was going to disapprove of his plans.
But it all sounded perfect to Noah. “Only if it’s a very, very stupid movie.”
He was rewarded with a bright grin. “Deal.”
11
Eli
Eli walked into his office practically buzzing. He was feeling giddy in that kind of ridiculous way that put a literal bounce in his step.
One that had been there for the past three weeks.
He supposed regular sex and companionship did that to a person. Probably? Maybe? Eli couldn’t remember those things ever feeling exactly like this, even when he’d been newly in love in his twenties, but maybe he’d let all the negativity that had happened later color his memories of his early times with Richard.
Or maybe this was just different.
Because it felt sogoodwith Noah. Unbelievably good. The past few weeks, getting as much time together as they could—which wasn’t nearly enough, given their different schedules and the need for secrecy—had made Eli happy in a way he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
It was just … easy, in a weird sense. Exciting and nerve-racking in the way all new relationships were, but also … easy.It shouldn’t have been, with their circumstances and the age gap. But Noah made it easy. He was always so happy to see Eli whenever he could, so eager to pull him into his arms and catch up on every moment they’d missed with each other. He’d come over for takeout or clumsy attempts at cooking, and they’d fall into easy domesticity together. Or, on the few nights his roommate wasn’t bartending with him, he’d invite Eli out to his work, to sit at the bar and be flirted with shamelessly and glare at any hussies who dared hit on Noah.
(Okay, they weren’t hussies. They were just regular, interested patrons. But Eli was allowed to be catty once in a blue moon.)
And the sex. Thesex.
El had never realized how hot it could be to take so many of someone’s firsts. The way Noah acted like every blow job was a gift from heaven above was incredibly gratifying, to say the least. Or the way he explored Eli’s body like it was the most beautiful, fascinating thing he’d ever seen. Or touched. Or licked.
Anyway.
Eli shifted in his chair as he took out his laptop. He really needed to learn his lesson about thinking of these types of things at the workplace. He had a class to teach after this—he couldn’t go in smelling like shameless arousal. Maybe he needed to get on one of those birth controls that blocked pheromones? But he didn’t love the side effects he’d heard about, and Noahlikedthe way Eli smelled. Eli didn’t want to take that away from either of them.
He was distracted enough, between thinking about Noah and going over his lecture notes, that he was only half aware of telling whoever was knocking on his office door to come in. It wasn’t like he was expecting anyone exciting—Noah was under strict instructions not to come to Eli’s office during working hours.
So Eli wasn’t at all prepared for the alpha who entered at his welcome, striding in like it was the most natural thing in the world and shutting the door firmly behind him.
